Science  People  Locations  Timeline
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Home > Piastre


 

Originally a dollar size silver coin, the Piastre served as the major unit of currency of French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos), and Ottoman Turkey (see Kurus).

The term is still unofficially used in Quebec French slang as a reference to the Canadian dollar. Early private bank issue currency in French speaking regions of Canada were denominated in Piastres. The official French term for the modern Canadian dollar is dollar.

Piastre was also the original French word for the American dollar, used for example in the French text of the Louisiana Purchase. Modern French uses dollar for this unit of currency as well.



Read more »

Non User